Designing your ideal garden path

Reader, reader, you lovely design leader, how does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells and garden paths all in a row! We hope that's how it is anyway, but if you are thinking about getting to grips with your outdoor space and are yet to finalise your pathway plans, let us guide you with some of our top tips and favourite examples.

Choosing the right size and style for your new garden paths is vital, as you could end up overshadowing all of your considered planting if you're not careful. Likewise, if you have a large garden, but lay a tiny path, the proportions will be all wrong! It's a minefield, but we have some great examples to show you, so let's get outside and see what's on offer!

Think about the style of your home

Un JARDIN DESIGN chez soi

The first thing you should consider, when designing your garden paths, is what style will best suit the exterior of your home. A misstep here could set your entire project off kilter, so really take the time to think about what aesthetic you are trying to extend and support.

We love this space from E/P Design, as it is rigid in its desire to feel tropical and like a holiday home. With this in mind, we just know that the house it leads to will be a fabulous, villa style delight that takes inspiration from Mediterranean beach homes. Now that's symbiotic design!

Consider gravel

Don't dismiss gravel as a low budget option, as although it can be extremely good value, it also has the potential to look fabulous, if laid in a stylish way!

Garden paths don't have to simply be a straight strip of access that leads from a house to your flower beds, so why not go a little different and daring with your design in order to maximise the style points, while using a more reasonably priced finishing material? We think this design showcases exactly what we mean and you could hardly say that the gravel looks low end, could you?

Mix stone with grass

jardín de bambú

When natural materials combine, something magical happens and nowhere is this better demonstrated than in your garden! Fabulous brick hues, grey stone stepping stones and luscious greenery all coexist with a simple happiness and create what can only be described as a heavenly slice of utopia.

We love how this example shows perforated bricks being used for the garden paths, as the grass is growing up through the gaps and creating a visually delightful effect. It's just a little different and makes for a more eye-catching design that will have people admiring your garden every time they see it.

Embrace some colour

If you think gravel might be the best option for your garden paths, but you don't like the standard grey that it comes in, have no fear, as there are a multitude of colour options to choose from and they all look great either on their own or with each other!

Isn't this fantastic Zen garden just gorgeous? The contrast of the black and cream gravel paths is just breathtaking and then there is the added extra of a slab path running through the middle as well. What a great way to combine a plethora of stones in one space!

Try a winding path

giardini a terrazza in Costa Azzurra

For a little more fun and whimsy in your garden paths, why not add some flow and bends? Whenever we look at this example, we can't help but think of the Wizard of Oz, with the long winding road that is a main feature of the film. So too is this path the main attraction in this garden and it effortlessly directs guests up past the vibrant beds and beautifully finished house.

You might not be off to see the wizard as you scale this path, but you would certainly be admiring how perfectly laid and beautiful it is!

Opt for organic with wood

Wooden paths don't only have to make you think of decking, as they make fantastic contemporary installations in sleek and well thought out gardens that shouldn't be too prone to water.

Looking at this example, we think the addition of sunken lights is absolutely ingenious and adds not only an aesthetic value but also a practical functionality. Just imagine how stunning these garden paths would look at night, fully illuminated. The effect must be lovely and we wouldn't be surprised if it had you running to your local timber yard to copy it!

Lay blocks

When all else fails, you can't go wrong by opting for some simplicity with your garden paths and with that in mind, we think block work is an simple, stylish and modest method for allowing easy access to all parts of your outdoor space. Laid in perfect formation, as seen here, blocks make for a fantastically contemporary installation and while the laying process will be easy for you to complete, the impact the finished path will have will be enormous!

For a little more garden inspiration, take a look at this Ideabook: 6 Tips To Make Your Garden Perfect For Entertaining. We know you all like to get out into the sunshine when it makes an appearance, so we have put together some fabulous tips for making your garden a little more entertaining-friendly!